


the final holy war

by laslows



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: Light Angst, based on the chapter 10 conversation seliph has with sigurd and deirdre, my poor meow meows, seliph is a good brother, srsly that convo makes me cry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:47:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28921578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laslows/pseuds/laslows
Summary: in which julia and seliph must say goodbye to the family they lost to war.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	the final holy war

The voices of your friends bounce around the marble ballroom in celebration. Some approach you, offering congratulations on a fight well fought. Others watch you wistfully from a distance. They all look so happy. The war that took so many is finally over. So, why is it that you can’t seem to force a smile?

“Seliph?” a quiet voice reaches out.

You look over to see your sister’s concerned face. She seems quite different from the quiet girl you met all that time ago, although her steps remain just as quiet as they were then. She pulls at your sleeve, gesturing for the door. You comply.

Julia brings you to your cousins. Leif leans against the wall, staring up at the ceiling wistfully, while Altena watches your approach. 

“Hey, Seliph,” Altena’s voice cuts through the silence.

All eyes fall on you. You try to muster a smile for them, to no avail. The silence envelops you. Altena lets out a sigh and offers her hand.

“We ought to be heading back about now. Don’t wanna leave Thracia for too long, y’know?”

You nod.

“Make sure to visit, alright?” Altena smiles.

Leif lifts his head to say, “You can always count on us to help shoulder the burden you’ve been dealt.”

The burden you’ve been dealt. You remember your mother’s request of you to help Julia and Julius for her. You suppose you’ve already failed her last request. Tears well in your eyes.

“Thank you, you too,” you whisper.

Leif nods and turns away. He puts an arm around his sister’s shoulder for support, limping down the hall. You can’t seem to recall if he was always like this, or if battle had warped him beyond recognition. You ponder this as his footsteps begin to disappear.

Again, Julia pulls at your sleeve. That confident gaze she wore in the last battle has faded. You see in her gaze the eyes of your mother, humming over you as a baby. The warmth of family. Your eyes water again looking at her. 

~

The night breeze brushes away your tears. Before you lies a quaint garden blooming with flowers. You remember that it’s almost summer. Julia leaves your side to pick the flowers from the bushes. Your eyes wander to a small stone tablet embedded in the ground. You begin to cry. 

“Why is war so cruel?” you ask beneath your breath. Julia clutches the flowers tighter.

You hear Julia take a shuddering breath. She’s crying, too. Your nails dig into your fists and you bite your lip. All this suffering… What was it for? 

“I knew he had to die, but…” Julia’s voice was shaken with sobs, “I didn’t want to kill my own brother…”

You understand now. Julia had brought you to Julius’ grave. You recall the way he cried when Julia held his dying body. Perhaps that was the first time he had been awake in a long time. 

“This is all Manfroy’s fault. All of it,” you mumble.

You wish you could ask him again why your parents had to die. You wish you could kill him all over again. You hate him. 

Julia paces to the grave and gently sets down the flowers. She turns to look at you, tears streaming down her face.

“There won’t be war anymore, right?” she cried, “All that fighting was worth it…?”

You drift towards her with outstretched arms. She buries her face in your chest and squeezes you. With a shaky breath, you look towards the sky. The stars and moon watch you vigilantly. 

“Of course not.”

  
  


  
  
  



End file.
